Harish Prasad, Christian Christiansen, Kenny Gossett, Hunter Jones, Ray Bentley, J.R. Lawless
A fine howdy-doo to you folks! Fifty percent of the prestigious Simulation Football League postseason has officially been filled as of Week Ten, and I bet you’re wondering just how that effects your favorite team! Well, dear readers, as we’re heading down the stretch… not very much! This week saw some of the littlest movement in recent memory. As things start to heat up in the final weeks, however, expect to see spots 5-15 move around a quite bit. For now, however, the tension in the room remains thick, and also somebody set the A/C to 80 degrees. A famous singer once regaled us about what happens when it gets hot in here: WE GET OUR POWER RANKINGS.
| Rank | Team | Record (Movement) | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore Vultures | 8 - 1 (0) | Three games await our top contender for Week Ten. The Baltimore Vultures had a bye, and with eight wins and a playoff berth already secured, we here at the Power Rankings don't see much reason to move them out of the top spot at all. That doesn't mean they should rest easy - playoff hopefuls Alaska, Chicago, and Queen City are all on the remainder of their schedule. Will the Vultures continue to fly high? |
| 2 | Denver Nightwings | 8 - 1 (0) | Denver won a nailbiter of a game at home this week against the Las Vegas Fury, 27-29, and if you had to hand it to anyone, it'd be the man with the golden foot, Kramer Jackman. Going 5-for-5 field goals, with the longest being 53 yards, Kramer's legs were there when Jarrod McChesney had some issues finding his. If Josh Miller remains consistent next week, perhaps the #3 rushing defense will be able to stop London superstar Reggie Streeter. |
| 3 | Seattle Tyrants | 8 - 1 (0) | While the Tyrants had almost double the yardage of their opponents this week, they were still taken to overtime - a bit worrisome, considering they have former MVP Zack Sandlin and dark horse MVP candidate Jacques Luyindula heading their offense. Fortunately, they have a postseason berth, and their remaining schedule - Tulsa, Carolina, and Atlanta - could look a little bit rougher (see: Baltimore). |
| 4 | Tallahassee Pride | 8 - 2 (0) | Tallahassee traveled to Houston this week, and wouldn't you know it, pulled off a confident win. Frank Goodin's squad has clinched yet another ticket to the postseason with their 42-30 win over the Hyenas, They, along with the #5 ranked Aztecs, enter a bye week looking to try to reclaim playoff glory - and with the team on a 6 game winning streak, they might just have what it takes to break that postseason slump. |
| 5 | Mexico City Aztecs | 8 - 2 (0) | When Mexico City traveled to Sioux Falls a few weeks back, the game was one of the more thrilling of the season, ending with the Aztecs on top 34-31. This week, hosting the Sparrows in Estadio Azteca, you'd be hard pressed to believe that this team went toe-to-toe with the Aztecs for 44 minutes a few weeks back, as Mexico City handily won 30-45, punching their ticket to the playoff dance in the process. Matt Willson and Ray Bentley continue to make a case for the existence of a Co-MVP, as the latter broke the record for receiving touchdowns by a running back (11 at time of press). They head into a bye for Week 11, traveling to Houston and Tallahassee to close out their season. |
| 6 | Alaska Storm | 6 - 3 (0) | The Storm, like the Vultures, took Week 10 off. Mighty Max Paul's team is always a threat, be it in the regular or the postseason. They're sticking right where they were, thank you very much. |
| 7 | Chicago Wildcats | 7 - 2 (0) | Well now! The Wildcats are once again hot, handily taking down Queen City in their own home 24-10. Chicago's only losses this season have come against perennial playoff contenders Tallahassee and Alaska, but their wins have been a little too close for comfort to rank them much higher than 7th. If the Wildcats can overcome the #1 ranked Vultures in two weeks, on the other hand, expect to see some more vertical movement from our feline friends. |
| 8 | Atlanta Swarm | 5 - 4 (+1) | Just like that, the Swarm are back in control of their destiny. A 23-33 win over the Skyhawks in the Hive has positioned Atlanta to make the postseason dance for the first time in several seasons. Marcus Dunhill, yet again, went lights out, throwing for over 400 yards and 4 touchdowns. This team has a bright future - and if they can take down Seattle in the final week of the season, the Swarm could very well be the real deal in the playoffs. |
| 9 | Queen City Corsairs | 5 - 4 (-1) | The ship was sailing, but nobody was at the wheel! Queen City tumbles a spot this week thanks to a rudderless performance against the Chicago Wildcats that saw them outflanked, outmatched, and out-arrr'ed. The last one might have hurt the team most of all, but they've vowed to get back to their scurvy ways - and with Cap'n Barkley's legendary 4 rings, ye best be believin' the Corsairs still be in the mix. y'arr |
| 10 | London Knights | 4 - 5 (0) | London retains their top ten spot this week thanks to a little bit of luck and goodwill, plus a poor performance by the Sparrows. The Knights will have their biggest test of the season this upcoming week as they travel to Denver to take on the one of the best run defenses in the league. This game could very well make or break London's playoff hopes, so fingers crossed they've put their close loss to Atlanta from last week behind them. |
| 11 | Sioux Falls Sparrows | 4 - 5 (0) | A win this past week would have made a statement. What happened was definitely not the statement the Sparrows wanted to make, as they dropped their second game of the season to the Mexico City Aztecs 30-45. While Sioux Falls was able to get some traction out of the Tyree-to-Porter connection, it wasn't enough to withstand the Aztec onslaught. The Sparrows still have a shot to make the postseason, but it would have been a much easier battle had things gone their way. |
| 12 | Las Vegas Fury | 4 - 6 (0) | Heartbreaking. Ask anybody on the Strip about the last game against the Denver Nightwings, and that's the answer you'll get. While the playoff window has gotten tighter for the Fury, they can rest easy in knowing that they were able to score 3 rushing touchdowns on a top ranked run defense. Wins, though, would help them rest easier. |
| 13 | Charleston Predators | 3 - 6 (0) | Twice now Charleston has taken a top-10 team down to the wire and into overtime; unfortunately for the Predators, each time resulted in a nerve-wracking loss. The Preds might have fallen in overtime in Seattle, but considering their performance, they could very well be a dark horse contender for one of the final postseason spots. The question is, will they sink, or float? |
| 14 | Tulsa Desperadoes | 4 - 5 (0) | Such a strange team, the Desperados. Confident wins some weeks, like this one, and head-scratching decisions in others. Tulsa was able to pull a W out of their interstate matchup with capital-city representatives the Renegades, but they'll need to keep it up, and more consistently, if they want their bubble dreams to come true instead of burst. |
| 15 | Vancouver Legion | 4 - 6 (0) | Andy Hamilton's squad walks out of St. Louis with a 2-score win, 30-16. Sudo Nakai ran his brains out for over 160 yards, and Tom Pepper was able to go interception-less, but the team enters their Bye week along with the Aztecs and the Pride hoping to break even for the season. With their final match-ups against the Sharks and Knights, perhaps worst case the Legion can play spoiler to another team's playoff dreams. |
| 16 | San Francisco Sharks | 4 - 6 (0) | The Sharks caught a break, and some gumbo, with a strong 24-38 win over the New Orleans Pharaohs. Angus MacLaine looked like an old pro as he went for over 250 yards and 2 touchdowns, though also 2 interceptions. The Sharks could very well be out of the playoff race, but with their play, they could very well have more than just the waters frenzied in seasons to come. |
| 17 | Carolina Skyhawks | 1 - 8 (0) | Whither Carolina? It was almost as if their spirit was crushed, along with their wide receiver Harish Prasad, in Week 3. "Embrace the Suck" might be a locker-room joke, but with eight losses, it might be the key to the best possible draft pick. It's doubtful to this writer that they'll go down without a fight, however. |
| 18 | Oklahoma City Renegades | 2 - 7 (+2) | Oklahoma City might have dropped their inter-state match-up to the Desperados, but they did it in style. The Renegades have had a rough season, but not everything is lost. Deacon Nickens and company will get a chance to return the favor, and possibly spoil the playoff hopes of Tulsa, in Week 13 |
| 19 | Houston Hyenas | 2 - 7 (0) | It hurts to see a team this balanced - 2 rushing touchdowns, 2 passing touchdowns against the Tallahasse Pride - ranked so low. Unfortunately for the Hyenas, they need balance on both sides of the ball, and allowing the Pride to run up 42 points on them isn't helping. Their remaining schedule doesn't look to do them any favors either, though with a win over the Wildcats, Aztecs or Storm, they could have the last laugh. |
| 20 | New Orleans Pharaohs | 2 - 7 (-2) | This just isn't New Orlean's season. They led the San Francisco Sharks on almost all offensive stats but still lost the game 23-33. Hopefully the team can find ways to work out their offensive and defensive woes, or else they could be calling for "mummy"* pretty soon! *that's my one mummy joke allowed per season |
| 21 | St. Louis Gladiators | 0 - 9 (0) | The Gladiators have three games remaining in their schedule, against the Sharks, Knights, and Pharaohs. At this point, they've been mathematically eliminated from the postseason, but they've had some bright spots on both sides of the ball. St. Louis' playoff hopes might be dashed, but with a win against the Knights, perhaps they can return the favor - and what a way to cap a disappointing season, if so! |
